What type of volunteer work do you do and why?

The main volunteer work I've done for years now is for Chemo Angels, a national organization that benefits people of all ages from infants to seniors as they go through cancer treatments. You can volunteer as a regular Angel but must send gifts often, and with the high cost of postage these days, I don't desire to do that. So I have been a Card Angel, and that gives me the obligation to send at least a card every week, but I often extend that to include "tuck ins" of one kind or another (my own decision).

I've always loved getting mail with "fun" enclosures so am happy to do that for other people. I had my very first patient/buddy for four years until she finally succumbed to the dreaded cancer. She went through a tremendous amount of operations and treatments but always had such a good and appreciative attitude.

Since then I've had several others. They "graduate", also, if they complete their treatments and are doing well, but we can continue to keep in touch if we want to. We are not to expect our buddies to answer us, and I have had that situation happen to me, which makes it a bit more difficult.

But I also had another who wanted to snail mail and e-mail regularly, and that was very nice. She graduated and we still write. It makes me feel good to bring some "sunshine" to someone undergoing cancer, and I wish I had known of Chemo Angels (if it existed then) when I had my own cancer.

I'm not sure if it qualifies as volunteering but every summer I donate the excess produce from my garden to the local homeless shelter. For some reason my garden just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year even though there are only three of us in the house. LOL.

I love teaching, so I used to volunteer to teach English to some street kids and women who were at a disadvantages, prostitutes and the likes. I did it because I wanted to contribute something to the society. I got links to these places from my lecturers so I tried there first.It did not last very long because of conflicting schedule and because I lived too far away from the place (3 hours away and sometimes more).

Then I was asked to be more active at the church I was going to, so I let go my volunteer work. I'd love to do volunteer work again when I have a car and it's not that far away.

I mentor a 12-year-old girl through a local nonprofit. I chose it because I thought it would be fun, and I would be able to see my impact directly. It is usually fun, but I don't always feel like I'm actually accomplishing anything, and sometimes, it's more work than I expected.

I do believe in mentoring as a social movement, though, as I think we really, really need to go back to more community-based child raising. The isolation in this country is literally crippling us, and the incarceration and crime costs are insane. If I had more time, I would like to volunteer for the zoo.

I think that would be really interesting and rewarding. Our zoo, I know, gives volunteers pretty crappy jobs until they work their way up, but I would do it if I could.

I volunteer with greyhound adoption organizations and love it. We have 4 greyhounds of our own and although I would love to foster dogs, I know that I can't because I would end up with many more. When we retire, we are planning to volunteer with animal sanctuaries (wildlife and domestic animals) throughout North America. I have also considered volunteering at retirement homes with my dogs.

Nothing would make me happier than to spend time with my dogs and making other people feel good too.

In the past, I have done volunteer work with animal rescue organizations, which is how I wound up with an 8 year old shep/collie mix. He's now 12 and still having hip problems but still a good dog with some quirky behavior. When we got him, he was our fourth dog.

Our two collies had come from a collie rescue that we volunteered for years prior. I think I have to stay away from animal rescues as we wind up adding to the household. I think I would next like to volunteer to work with community organizations that help single moms or homeless women and children.

I could help with writing resumes or tutoring help. I have taught developmental writing and remedial reading. These skills would be very handy in this situation, and I would be helping people better their situations.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.